French born Sonia Rykiel began to work with textiles at the young age  of 17, and in 1962 while being pregnant with her first child, she  began to use her husband’s supplier from Venice to produce soft  sweaters. Sonia Rykiel began to create pregnancy dresses and feminine  sweaters, which later crowned her as the “Queen of knitwear” by the  Americans. In 1968 she launched her first store in Paris, where she as  a backlash on the 50’s strict tailoring began to create sweaters with  outer stitching.  In 1990 Sonia by Sonia Rykiel was launched as a  trendy little sister to the mainline. Sonia Rykiels characteristic  usage of outer stitching, colorful horizontal stripes and humoristic  statements is also the main characteristics in Sonia by Sonia Rykiels  creations. The collections are a chic mixture of oversize cardigans,  printed pants and quirky feminine dresses and accessories.